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Department for Culture, Media and Sport /Optional Specifications for Domestic Receivers
Contents
Section 1: Foreword
Section 2: Steering Board Decision
Section 3: Communications for Technical Changes Report
Department for Culture, Media and Sport /Optional Specifications for Domestic Receivers
Section 1:Foreword
1.1Introduction
The Technology and Equipment Group (TEG) has been tasked to identify, investigate, report and make recommendations on the technology and equipment issues related to any future Radio Switchover, including both domestic and in-vehicle receivers. The priorities for TEG include the usability of radio devices, the development of a set of common specifications and testing regime to provide quality assurance to consumers. Due to the importance of digital conversion of car radios, there is a specific In-vehicle sub-Group which looks at the barriers to take-up and conversion options.
The TEG is chaired by Laurence Harrison, Technology and Market Development Director at Digital Radio UK. Membership of the TEG includes representatives from government, the BBC, Ofcom, trade bodies, manufacturers and consumer groups.
1.2Background to Optional Specifications for Domestic Receivers Report
Under action 2.4 of the Digital Radio Action Plan, the TEG was tasked to develop recommendations for a set of optional specifications for domestic receivers, which would provide “best practice” should certain desirable technology be installed.
The TEG delivered the Optional Specifications Report in Q4 2011, which outlined a set of functions which the radio industry and consumer groups believed wereimportant for the future technical development of digital radio in the UK. These included features of the WorldDMB Profile 2 such as an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) which displays scheduled radio programmes on a screen. The Report also outlineda pause and rewind function on receivers, and Integrated Station Guides which enables both DAB and FM stations to be presented together in one station list.
Manufacturers will not be required to include the functions identified in the Optional Specification Report within a receiver, nor will they be tested for compliance against a specified test regime. Due to the changing nature of the digital radio market, the Optional Specifications Report will be reviewed annually.
In addition to the main report, the Consumer Expert Group produced reports for TEG setting out features which they believe are of importance to vulnerable consumers. The reports are annexed to the main report.
Section 2:Steering Board Decision
The Steering Board considered and agreed the Optional Specifications Report in December 2011. It was noted that the Report covered the possible additional features that could be placed in receivers, none of which will be binding.
Section 3:Optional Specifications for Domestic Receivers
Recommendations on additional optional and advanced radio receiver specifications, which provide “best practice” should optional technology be installed.
Contents
1.0 Background
1.1 Technology and Equipment Group
1.1 The task
1.2 Purpose of the report
2.0 Digital radio trends
2.1 Internet connected devices (including mobile)
2.2 Interactivity
2.3 Visualisation
3.0 Optional specifications
3.1 World DMB profile 2
3.1.1 Channel decoding
3.1.2 Dynamic Label + (DL+) and Intellitext
3.1.3 Journaline
3.1.4 Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and recording
3.1.5 Slideshow
3.1.6 Binary Format for Scenes (BIFS)
3.1.7 Broadcast Website
3.1.8 Service Following
3.2 World DMB profile 3
3.2.1 Channel decoding
3.2.2 Video
3.3 Pause and rewind
3.4 RadioDNS
3.4.1 RadioVIS
3.4.2 RadioTAG
3.4.3 RadioEPG
3.5 The Internet Media Device Alliance (IMDA) Profiles
3.6 Sound innovation
3.6.1 High quality sound over IP
3.6.2 Surround sound
3.7 Integrated Station Guide (ISG)
3.8 Accessibility and Usability
3.8.1 Text-to-speech
Annex A: Digital Radio Accessibility: priority areas for older and disabled people
Annex B: An analysis of accessibility issues
Annex C: Best practice guidelines: text-to-speech for digital radio
Annex D: Technology and Equipment Group Glossary
1.0 Background
1.1 Technology and Equipment Group
As part of the Digital Radio Action Plan, the Technology and Equipment Group (TEG) must identify, consider and make recommendations on the issues relating to the development of digital radio technologies and equipment. The TEG, chaired by Digital Radio UK (DRUK), comprises device manufacturers, Intellect, BBC, RadioCentre, Government, Ofcom, the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and consumer group representatives (the Consumer Expert Group, CEG). Retailers were invited to join TEG but did not propose any representatives.
1.1 The task
Included within five key objectives, the Digital Radio Action Plan seeks to support the development of high quality and innovative radio services and new functionality.
As stated in the Digital Radio Action Plan, one of the tasks of TEG is to “make recommendations on additional optional / advanced radio receiver specifications, which would provide “best practice” should optional technology be installed.” This paper considers domestic radios only, though the features detailed herewith can also be applied to in-vehicle. Due to the changing nature of the digital radio market, this paper is to be reviewed annually.
1.2 Purpose of the report
Optional specification herewith comprises a set of functions which the radio industry and consumer groups believe are key to the future technical roadmap of digital radio in the UK. It is designed to be a signpost pointing towards the future digital radio functionality landscape for manufacturers, broadcasters and other stakeholders.
There is no requirement on any organisation to include these functions within a receiver. The Optional Specification Report accompanies the Minimum Specification Report, though it will not be tested for compliance against specified test suites.
2.0 Digital radio trends
There are a number of technology and consumer/listener trends that will influence the take-up of optional specifications. Although TEG recognises the inability to predict future trends, the following is to be considered as part of understanding the likely adoption of future digital radio technology specifications.
2.1 Internet connected devices (i.e. “hybrid devices,” including mobile)
More and more people are listening to Internet radio. At the time of publishing this paper, the Radio Joint Audience Research results (RAJAR Q3, 2011) showed that listening to online radio was up to 3.7% from 3.2% quarter-on-quarter and from 2.8% in Q3, 2010. It is clear that the current direction of travel in the digital radio receiver market is towards hybrid sets that include DAB, FM and IP connectivity. An increasing number of digital radio receivers are sold with IP capabilities annually in the UK. Additionally, on the broadcaster side, there are now 100 radio services which could utilize RadioDNS - a combined broadcast and internet service - in the UK.
Mobile devices (including smart phones and tablets) are a key part of this development towards internet connected devices. This has been demonstrated by recent trends: 15.8% of adults aged 15+ listened to the radio via mobile phone in Q3, 2011, up 24.2% year on year (Rajar, Q3 2011). 55% of UK iPad users listen to live radio on their iPad (Imano, May 2011).
2.2 Interactivity
Digital technology allows a far greater level of interactivity with the radio and useful benefits for consumers. Consumers, whilst using other forms of media such as TV expect functionality such as pause and rewind and the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and recording. As demonstrated in the recent DCMS research, “Digital Radio Switchover: Willingness to Pay and Consumer Behavior Research” ( a similar expectation of pause and rewind exists for radio listeners.
Technology that allows listeners to bookmark interesting content (so-called “tagging”), series link or even cast votes on live radio debates is also being developed by industry.
These types of additional functionality could and should extend with social media and networking (i.e. Facebook, Twitter). This is already in development by several broadcasters and Radioplayer.
2.3 Visualisation
Consumers are now used to colour screens on devices (e.g. Tablets, smart phones). Technologies like RadioVis allow the delivery of relevant visuals alongside broadcast radio. This hybrid service provides benefits to the consumer as well as benefits to broadcasters.
3.0 Optional specifications
3.1 World DMB profile 2
The UK minimum specification is based on World DMB profile 1 which is aimed at receivers with a basic alphanumeric display. Profile 2 specifically targets receivers with a colour screen display.
The Receiver Profiles describe minimum functionality; the implementation of each feature in conformance with the relevant European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standards is determined by each manufacturer and is not proscribed. ETSI is a not-for-profit organization with more than 700 member organizations drawn from 62 countries world-wide. ETSI produces globally applicable standards for Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), including fixed, mobile, radio, converged, broadcast and internet technologies.
The relevant ETSI technical standards are referenced in the Profile which can be seen at
The profile includes all World DMB Profile 1 functionality, plus the following features:
3.1.1 Channel decoding
Simultaneous decoding of a minimum of four sub-channels is mandatory. Each sub-channel can contain an audio or a data service, so receiving an audio service with a slideshow might require decoding of two sub-channels simultaneously. Decoding of a minimum of 288 Capacity Units (total) is mandatory, which sets a maximum total bitrate that must be decoded in aggregate.
3.1.2 Dynamic Label + (DL+) and Intellitext
These are both advanced text data services
The existing Dynamic Label service provides text information such as track playing, now/next, news headlines, weather, sport results, etc., but there is no machine-readable indication of what the text content is, so the listener has no choice over what information is presented to them.
DL+ allows the broadcaster to describe what the text content (or individual words within it) refers to, and this can allow the listener to filter or read only information they are interested in. DL+ is a transfer of existent functionality in FM RDS called RT+, which is used in some other European countries, but not widely implemented in the UK.
Intellitext allows the broadcaster to classify entire Dynamic Label messages, so that they can be sorted and stored on the radio by categories for listeners to browse through. Intellitext requires the broadcaster to write the text of the message in a particular structure, but otherwise does not need any additional technical function at the broadcaster end.
Intellitext was initially implemented in the UK for the 2006 World Cup by talkSPORT, and some broadcasters continue to broadcast messages in an Intellitext-compatible format.
3.1.3 Journaline
Journaline is a data service for use in DAB. It is a structured text information service, broadly akin to Teletext or Internet RSS feeds. The broadcaster transmits short-form predominately text-based information, which can be categorised, stored and browsed through a hierarchical navigation on the receiver. It has been demonstrated providing news and information services, and is integrated into a number of car-based digital radios. Journaline can be associated directly with a specific radio service, or provided as a general service not associated with any particular station.
There are currently no UK broadcasters using Journaline.
3.1.4 Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and recording
An EPG is an on-screen guide to scheduled radio programmes, allowing:
- The display of schedules at varying levels of detail for programmes from a range of services
- The display of schedules, with programmes and events ordered into particular groups
- Navigation and selection of services and programmes
- Searching through current and future programme listings
Two profiles have been defined in the ETSI standard:
- "Basic", that is a subset of the whole EPG specification and is meant for simple, low-cost receivers that have limited memory and display capabilities.
- "Advanced", including the complete EPG specification
Some radios already have EPG functionality built in to them. This requires support from broadcasters who need to broadcast full EPG data for their content so that it can be displayed to the listener. This data includes:
- Service Information (the structure and organisation about a broadcast channel and its associated services
- Programme information (programmes on one or more services for a defined time period)
- Group information (put programmes into groups. It is useful for series or theme classification)
If the receiver has storage capabilities such as an SD memory card then timed recordings of individual programmes, or of groups of programmes and themed or similar programming can be made. Series linking of radio programmes is also possible but not yet implemented by industry.
EPG is broadcast on a number of multiplexes in the UK. Please note, this section references a 7-day EPG.
3.1.5 Slideshow
Slideshow adds synchronised visual content (slides) to radio broadcasts on DAB. The transmission of the slides typically requires an additional 10-15% of capacity in addition to the audio service.
Slideshow services have been provided by some broadcasters, but their growth has been restricted by a number of factors. There have been relatively few radios with colour screens, in some cases capacity is too restricted to include the service, and in others the cost of the purchasing the additional capacity to transmit slideshow has not yet been commercially justified.
Please note, some broadcasters are publishing their Slideshow services on IP using the RadioVIS specification (see section 3.4.1).
3.1.6 Binary Format for Scenes (BIFS)
BIFS is part of the MPEG-4 video specification, and was originally intended to create overlays and simple graphic based local interactivity for video services. It is a relatively complex process to author content, requiring specialist tools, and the receiver side decoders are also relatively complex.
Some French broadcasters have demonstrated concepts based on BIFS, but there are no commercially launched services on digital radio in any country.
3.1.7 Broadcast Website
Enables the transmission of complete web sites for offline use in a digital radio receiver,which needs to be equipped with web browser software. Besides linked HTML pages, also multimedia elements like images, animated graphics, mp3 files or videos can be offered. Broadcast Websites can link to resources on the Internet (such as email, social networking, streaming video/audio) when the radio has an IP connection.
Because of the Broadcast Website's high demand on decoder resources and user interface functionality on the receiver side, combined with quite high bandwidth requirements for multimedia content, the application is not widely used at present - neither in terms of receiver nor in broadcaster support.
It is foreseeable that Digital Radio will be included in devices that already have a competent, contemporary, web browser, such as mobile phones and tablet devices. As broadcast websites can transfer any arbitrary multimedia content, it would be possible to transmit quite functional and attractive web content over Digital Radio, probably as a gateway to IP delivered services.
3.1.8 Service Following
This allows cross-referencing to other modes of reception of the same programme, such as FM, DRM, AM and other DAB ensembles. Receivers allowing this function will automatically switch to other modes of reception if the current one becomes unavailable (e.g. when leaving the coverage area). This functionality could be important for mobile products like hand-held receivers.
Service following is key within the context of in-vehicle, where it is possible for drivers to drive out of a DAB coverage area and thus need the device to seamlessly find the same station in another mode.
3.2 World DMB profile 3
Profile 3 is aimed at products with a colour screen capable of displaying video. The relevant ETSI technical standards are referenced in the Profile that can be seen at
The profile includes all World DMB Profile 1 functionality, plus the following features:
3.2.1 Channel decoding
Decoding of a minimum of 432 Capacity Units (total) is mandatory.
3.2.2 Video
H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 or AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is a standard for video compression, and is currently one of the most commonly used formats for the recording, compression, and distribution of high definition video.
3.3 Pause and rewind
Some digital radios already on the market have the capability to pause and rewind live radio. In the recent report for DCMS “Digital radio switchover: Consumer research to inform the cost benefit analysis” ( the consumers’ willingness to pay for pause and rewind was second only to sound quality. Manufacturers are implementing this feature, but there are currently no standards, and implementation will vary (e.g. how long the user can rewind for)
3.4 RadioDNS
The RadioDNS (Domain Name System) is a global project made up of commercial and public broadcasters, software companies and consumer electronics manufacturers. RadioDNS creates patent-free open standards to link together broadcast radio and the internet, allowing hybrid DAB/Internet radios to use broadcast radio for audio and the internet for related content such as text, visuals and Electronic Programme Guides (EPG) and new functionality such as tagging/book-marking content you like.
There is support across the UK radio industry and manufacturing sector for RadioDNS and it is likely to form the core of hybrid radios in the future, giving the user a richer experience of digital radio through more content and a greater level of interactivity.
UK members of RadioDNS include the BBC, Global, Absolute, GMG, Bauer, Frontier and Imagination technologies.
3.4.1 RadioVIS
RadioVIS is a way of adding text and visuals synchronised to the radio programme. It is a port of the DAB Dynamic Label and DAB Slideshow functionality allowing them to be carried over the Internet, rather than over DAB. This allows broadcasters to launch services without having to commit to DAB capacity, but migrate them to DAB Slideshow if/when the demand warrants using the broadcast platform.
RadioVIS is currently in production on a number of devices. RadioVIS services are available from over 100 different broadcasts in the UK from Global Radio, Absolute Radio, G-Media customers like Planet Rock and JACK fm.
3.4.2 RadioTAG
RadioTAG allows you to ‘tag’ bits of the radio you find interesting. Whether it’s your favourite song, an interesting news story, or just something the presenter said that you thought was amusing. It’s then up to the broadcaster to keep those tags and to let you interact further with that content when you’ve the time.